There have been plenty of interesting developments over the first month and a half of the NFL season, but one in particular that should be getting even more buzz than it has is the early-season play of Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Stroud was the number two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but has resembled a seasoned veteran more than most “seasoned veterans” do. Stroud's played with a remarkable amount of poise and looks to be capable of making every throw. But what does Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans attribute Stroud's success to?

“It starts with his mental preparation,” Ryans shared with reporters, according to Jarrett Bell of USA Today. “He’s really dedicated to the process of studying, making sure he’s prepared when he goes into games. He’s also had success because the guys around him have all jelled well together. It all starts with the mental preparation with him. It’s off the charts.”

Ryans' comments regarding Stroud's mental preparation is not only relevant because of just how well Stroud has performed over the first six games of his first season in the NFL. It's also a direct shot at those who leaked intel that Stroud had done poorly on a pre-draft cognitive test. The notion of Stroud not being able to handle the mental side of the NFL looks pretty darn foolish now. Stroud is currently 10th in yards and Passer Rating, tied for 12th in touchdowns, and most impressively, he has the fewest interceptions (just one) of all qualifying quarterbacks in the NFL.

The Texans face the Carolina Panthers, who are led by rookie and #1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bryce Young. Young and Stroud will forever be linked because they went #1 and #2 respectively in this past year's draft, but this year, their tenure in the league is about where the comparisons between Young and Stroud stop. Stroud has been BY FAR the better quarterback.

With a win over the Panthers, the Texans would improve to 4-3. The last time the Texans had a winning record in Week 8 of the season or later was in 2019. That's an entire global pandemic ago.

Whether that's the C.J. Stroud effect or the DeMeco Ryans effect or a combination of the two, it looks like the Texans are building something special in Houston.